Signal apparatus.



W.. H. WELLS & J. R. MQGUMBER.

SIGNAL APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED FEB.28, 1914.

Patented Jan. 26, 1915.

2 SHiiETS-SHEET 1.

THE NORRIS PETERS C0,, PHOTOLITHO.. WASHINGIDN. D C

W. H. WELLS & J. R. MGGUMBER- SIGNAL APPARATUS. APPLICATION FILED rm:

IITHE NORRIS PETERS CO.. FHOTO-LITHO.. WASHING TON, D. C.

TED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM H. WELLS AND JAMES R. MCCUMBER, OF VICTORIA, VIRGINIA.

SIGNAL APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented J an. 26, 1915.

Application filed February 28, 1914. Serial No. 821,688.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, WILLIAM H. WELLS and JAMEs R. MGCUMBER, citizens of the United States, residing at Victoria, in the county of Lunenburg and State of Virginia, have invented new and useful Improvements in Signal Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

Our present invention pertains to signal apparatus for use on railway rolling stock; and it consists in the apparatus, hereinafter described and definitely claimed, designed more especially for use in a locomotive cab, and constructed with a view of enabling an engineer when he receives a stop-over order to quickly and easily set the apparatus in such manner that when the place of the stop-over is reached the engineer will be placed on notice by an audible signal or a visual signal, or both, to said effect, and the liability of accident will be reduced to a minimum.

The invention also consists in an apparatus of the kind stated intended to be set by the engineer or other authorized person to whom the order is delivered, and provided with reliable means for keeping a check on the engineer or other authorized personi. e., indicating whether or not he correctly set the apparatus for a signal when the place of the stop-over was reached.

In the accompanying drawings, which are hereby made a part hereof: Figure 1 is a view diagrammatic in character of one embodiment of our invention. Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail view showing the gear case, dial and pointer of the apparatus. Fig. 3 is a vertical section of the same. Fig. 4: is a diagrammatic view illustrative of the electrical connections and the audible and visual signals preferably employed.

Similar numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in all of the views of the drawings.

In furtherance of our invention, a worm screw 1 is fixed on a trailer-wheel axle 2, and is intermeshed with a worm gear 3 on a shaft 4, this to rotate the shaft 4 when the locomotive 5 is in motion and move the pointer, hereinafter described, a predetermined distance proportioned to the travel of the locomotive. Preferably, but not necessarily, the gearing hereinafter described is so proportioned that coincident with the movement of the locomotive through one mile the pointer 6 will be moved from one aperture 7 in the circular series in the dial plate 8 to the next aperture. At 9 the shaft 4 is equipped with a worm screw that is intermeshed with a worm gear 10 on an upright shaft 11. This mode of connection between the shafts 4c and 11 is preferred, inasmuch as when desired, the gears 9 and 10 can be arranged in a dust-proof casing (not shown) and in a bath of oil. On its upper portion the shaft 11 is provided with a worm screw 12, Figs. 2 and 8, and said worm-screw 12 is intermeshed with a worm gear 13 that is fixed on a shaft 1 f, equipped with a spur gear 15. Said spur gear is intermeshed with a large spur gear 16, fixed on the shaft 17 of the pointer 6, and hence movement of the locomotive will be attended by movement of the pointer 6 in front of the dial plate 8.

The dial plate 8 is arranged at the front of a case 20, located in the cab of the locomotive as shown in Fig. 1. Arranged in the case back of and in spaced relation to the plate 8 is a metallic plate 21, and between the said plate 21 and the front wall or dial plate 8 is provided a pocket 22. This pocket is normally closed by the case cover 23, and is designed for the reception of a false-dial 24, of paper or other easily perforated material, which is marked similarly to the dial 8. Thus when a conductive plug 25 is placed in one of theapertures 7 of the dial plate 8, and a registered aperture in the plate 21, said plug will operate to puncture the false dial 24. From this it follows that when the case 20 is opened and the false dial 2% removed by an oflicial in authority, the false dial will accurately indicate whether or not the engineer set the apparatus for a stop-over at a particular place. The false dial 24 is slotted, as indicated by 29 in Fig. 3 to enable it when dropped in the pocket 22 to straddle the shaft 17 and the insulating sleeve 30 that surrounds said shaft. Arranged in the case 20 and back of the plate 21 is a metallic plate 31. This plate is insulated by a mica layer 32 from the plate 21, and by a flange on the sleeve 30 from a conductive collar 83 that loosely receives the shaft 17. The collar 33 and the plate 21 form the terminals of a normally open or incomplete electric circuit, Figs. 3

and 4, which as shown in Fig. 4 includes a source of electric .energy -40, an incandescent lamp 41, and a bell 42. As shown in Fig. 2, the lampand bellare arranged on the front of the case 20 inthe'locomotive cab, so as to assure the engineers attention being attracted when the bell is sounded and the lamp is caused to glow.

Manifestly without affecting our invention, the dial 8 may be provided with any preferred arrangement of apertures, and the pointer 6 and the pin or plug'25 maybe of anysuitable construction.

A neutral illustration of the dial is deemed sufficient, since it will be readily understood that if at the commencement of a run the engineer receives an order to stop-over at station C, it is incumbent on him to place the plug 25 in the apertures of the plates "8 and 21 at said station. At the time of start ing the run, the pointer 6 is at the init al point, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, and while the train is making the run from the initlal station to station C, the pointer will have been moved from the position shown in Figs. 2 and 3 to the pin 25 at the stationC. The contact between the pointer 6 and the plugor pin 25 at station 0 will close the c1 rcuit and actuate the lamp and bell, and 1n that way the engineer will be put on notice to execute the previously received order for a stop-over.

The pointer 6 has a flexible outer portion, Fig. 3, and hence if the train does not -'stop at the predetermined station, the pomter will in riding over the plug or pin '25 actuate the signals and put the engineer on notice.

At thecompletion of a run the false dial will make manifest whether or no the apparatus was set for the stop over or stop overs the engineer was directed to make.

It will be understood from the foregoing that the apparatus may be adapted for use incidental to the return trip of a train; the locomotive in that case being backed and certain of the apertures 7 in the circular series being marked for stations; these markings being by preference inside the cir cular series of apertures 7, and numbered as shown in Fig. 2.

It will be gathered from the foregoing that our novel apparatus is simple and inexpensive in construction, and that it is well adapted to withstand the rough usage to which railway signal apparatus is ordinarily subjected.

While we have illustrated and described only one driving connection for revolving the pointer, we would have it understood that any other driving connection compatible with the purpose of our invention may be employed without involving departure from the scope of our appended claims.

tion of apertured plates spaced apart to form a pocket between them, a source of,

electric energy, a signal, a normally open electric clrcuit contalning the source of electric energy, the signal and one of said plates, a revolublepointer also arranged in said circuit, means for revolving the pointer, a sheet of material adapted to be easily punctured, removably arranged in said pocket,-and a plug removably arranged in registered apertures of the plates and adapted to contact with thepointer to electrically connect the same with the plate in the circuit.

2. In a signal apparatus, the combination of apertured plates electrically isolated from each other, a source of electric energy, a signal, a .rnormally open electric circuiteontaining the source of electric energy, the signal and one of said plates, a revolu'ble pointer also arranged in said circuit, means for revolving the pointer, and a plug removably arranged in registered apertures of the 'p'latesand adapted to contact with the pointer to electrically connect the same with the plate in the circuit.

3. In a signal apparatus, the combina tion of apertured plates electrically isolated from each other, a source of electric energy, a signal, a normally open electric circuit containing the source of electric energy, the :signal and one of said plates, a revoluble pointer also arranged in said circuit, a plug removably arranged in 'regis tered'apertures of the plates and adapted to contact with the pointer to electrically connectthe same with the plate in the circuit, a vehicle carrying the said apparatus, a traveling wheel on said vehicle, and a driving connection intermediate said wheel and the pointer.

4. In a signal apparatus, the combination of apertured plates electrically isolated. from each other, a source of electric energy, a signal, a normally open electric circuit containing the source of electric energy, the signal and one of said plates, a revoluble pointer also arranged in said circuit, a plug 'removably arranged in registered apertures of the plates and adapted to contact with the pointer to electrically connect the same with the plate in the dircuit, a vehicle carrying the said apparatus, an axle journa'led in the vehicle and equipped with a worm screw, a shaft having a worm gear intermeshed with said screw, a worm screw on said shaft, a shaft bearing a worm gear in mesh with said worm screw, and a driving connection between said shaft and the pointer.

5. In a signal apparatus, a marked sheet of easily punctured material, a device In testimony whereof We have herennto 10 adapted to receive said sheet and having set our hands in presence of two subscribapertures in one of its walls, a plug adapted ing witnesses.

to rest in one of the apertures and make WILLIAM H WELLS electric connection with said device and ex- JAMES R. MCCUMBER.

tend through the sheet, a movable pointer,

means for moving the same, a signal, and Witnesses: means whereby the signal is actuated when R. D. Pom), the pointer and the plug are in contact. C. H. HALEY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Eatents,

Washington, D. 0. 

